Fanny Rush

Will Riccio

Will is American and I took my reference photographs while he was on holiday here in London. He says the sash windows are so ‘London’ that he will always remember being here when he looks at the portrait.

Robin Stainer

Robin rowed at Oriel College, Oxford: Those rowing ‘outstandingly’ for Oriel are nominated to become ‘Tortoises’, a prestigious honour for over a hundred years. Robin and a couple of students re-configured the Tortoise Club several years ago making massive changes like including female rowers. He invested a lot of time and, although less is now called for because the Tortoise Club is well established, it means a lot to him.

The tortoise in the portrait was bought in Turkey and is very important to Robin who lived and worked in Istanbul in the 1970’s and speaks, he says, now-rusty Turkish.

Richard Jordan

I love contrasts not only in colour, shape, light but also in ideas. As Rick is informal I think it works to have him in this fairly classical pose.

Ben Lucas

I really like these portraits of just the head and shoulders. They are both powerful and intimate.

Edward Frazer

This is my second portrait of Ed, the first was fifteen years ago. I’m glad to see that I’m braver in my work now. Blue and white stripes combined with red and gold flowers would not have occurred to me then. I love them together here and I think it works beautifully.

Curtis Bashaw

Curtis’s arm makes a strong diagonal across the portrait, which is really powerful. Almost unnoticed, his shadow gives the portrait real depth.

Cherry and Frank

The gentle way that Frank has placed his hands on Cherry’s arms says it all. I really like the way the blocks of red, green and purple are working together here.